"Did grandmother send you up here to see if I was keeping my word?"
"She did not. She doesn't know I am here."
"Then it's just _you_ who don't trust me?"
"Well, I don't think you are playing quite fair," admitted Quin bluntly,
"either to Queen Vic or to me."
"And I suppose you propose to go back and tell her so?"
"I propose nothing of the kind. It's up to you whether we both keep our
word, or whether we both break it. You know what I think, and you see the
position I am in."
"I can settle that," said Eleanor with spirit. "I can write home to-night
and tell them what I intend to do. That will exonerate you, if that is
what you are after."
"It _isn't_ what I am after, and you know it! For God's sake, Miss Nell,
be fair! You know you can't go on with this thing without starting up the
old trouble with Mr. Phipps."
"But, I tell you, I _can_. I can control the situation perfectly. Why
can't you trust me, Quin?"
"I don't trust _him_. He's got ways of compromising a girl that you don't
know anything about. If he ever gets wind of your going to Chicago----"
"I wish you wouldn't throw that up to me!" There was real anger in her
voice, which up to now had shown signs of softening.
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